There are no patent applications related hereto heretofore filed by either or both of the instant inventors in this or any foreign country.
This invention relates generally to a process for creating forms for concrete walls, formed between spaced form panels having form ties extending through and between the panels, by using elongate form tie extenders.
In the construction of relatively thin, at least somewhat vertical, poured concrete wall panels between spacedly adjacent forms of some areal extent, it has become common in creating form structures for such purpose to use modular form panels with elongate form ties extending between, through and externally of the form panels so that the form ties may be fastened on external surfaces of the opposed form panels to aid support and positional maintenance of the panels. Form ties have long been known for this purpose, their developmental history is long and the ties have become quite sophisticated with several distinct types of ties in common use in the present day concrete arts for particular purposes or benefits. All such ties, however, share common features of an elongate configuration, such as a rod or twisted wire bodies having substantial tensile and some compressive strength, and end portions providing fastening structure for fastening on the exterior surfaces of interconnected form panels, such as enlarged heads, loops or stops. One common and widely used form tie of the present day concrete forming arts provides an elongate steel rod having enlarged heads at each end and a length predetermined for fastening of the heads by wedge type fasteners against the outer surfaces of opposed form panels spaced at a particular predetermined distance. Another common type of form tie used especially in light frame construction provides an elongate twisted wire body with loops and stops at each end to allow fastening on the exterior surface of form panels by rod or wedge-type fasteners passing through the loops.
To use these or similar form ties, however, requires placement of the tie ends from the inside surfaces of the form panels through holes defined in the opposed panels. This in the past has constituted a difficult and time consuming process which the instant invention seeks to simplify and shorten.
Since concrete structures that commonly embody form ties usually are relatively thin and of substantial areal extent, the form panels that create the opposed formed surfaces of such concrete structures must be spaced correspondingly close together, commonly at distances of about four to sixteen inches. In the past when form structures of this type have been constructed, the form panels have been established in place on preformed footings or similar supports established to permanently support the concrete structure to be formed. Form ties then are established in proper position through and between the panels. Depending upon the nature of the form ties they generally have been inserted in predefined holes from the inside of a first form panel, through that panel and spacedly outwardly thereof where they are fastened before placement of the second adjacent form panel. The second panel then has been positioned spacedly adjacent the first panel and the ties inserted from the space between the panels through holes predefined in the second panel and therebeyond so that the second end of the ties may be fastened in place. Some ties may be inserted from the space between pre-positioned panels, especially with some deformation of the tie or use of large tie holes in the panels, but normally this is more difficult, time consuming and less effective than inserting the ties in the first panel before the second panel is moved into spacedly adjacent forming position.
In either case, the pre-positioned form panels for most wall structures are close enough together as not to allow a workman to position himself or effectively move his body therebetween, so the prior tie insertion process required insertion of at least one end of each tie in at least one form panel to be accomplished from exteriorly of the opposed pre-positioned form panels and at a distance from the hole to carry the tie, which is difficult and time consuming. To exacerbate the problem, if tie holes defined in form panels are enlarged to aid tie insertion, they tend to allow exit of substantial amounts of plastic concrete which may make subsequent form removal difficult and create a wall with irregular protuberances. This problem may be further exacerbated by reason of the fact that the ends of ties commonly define or carry enlarged fastening structures that require a hole for their insertion somewhat larger than the tie body. Generally the insertion of ties in a form structure heretofore has required the efforts of at least two workers, even with the use of elongate tools, as normally one worker has moved the tie from exteriorly of the first panel initially carrying it and a second worker has aligned the second tie end that is to be inserted in the second panel to direct the second tie end into the cooperating hole defined in the second adjacent panel.
Our invention simplifies this process by providing particular elongate form tie extenders releasably fastenable for support at the second end of each form tie and a modified method or process for form assemblage that allows the insertion of ties in the second form panel by a single worker moving in the space between two temporarily spacedly adjacent form panels before closer final positioning of the second form panel to form the finally assembled form structure.
These extenders and our process allowed by their use permit form assemblage by one worker rather than two in the same or less time than heretofore was required by two workers to accomplish the assemblage by prior traditional methods.
Our form tie extender provides an elongate rod-like body having connecting structure at one end to releasably interconnect the fastening structure of one end portion of a form tie. The connecting structure may take various forms to interconnect particular form ties, but neither the connecting structure nor the body of the tie extender are larger in cross section than form tie holes predefined in form panels to be serviced, thereby allowing elongate passage of the extender through the form tie holes. The extender has a length such that when an interconnected form tie and extender are carried in cooperating form tie holes defined in spacedly opposed form panels before final positioning, a worker may position himself and effectively move in the space between those form panels.
To use our form tie extender, a first form panel is established in a forming position on an underlying permanent support for a concrete structure to be formed. Form ties are inserted by a worker from the inner surface through the form tie holes in the first panel and spacedly beyond the outer panel surface where they are fastened by appropriate fasteners heretofore used for such purpose. The second form panel then is positioned in a temporary position spacedly adjacent the first panel at a distance somewhat less than the combined length of a form tie and interconnected form tie extender, but sufficient to allow a worker to move between the form panels. The first outer ends of the form tie extenders then are sequentially positioned by a worker between the form panels in cooperating form tie holes pre-defined in the second form panel and the second inner end of each extender is releasably interconnected with the form tie to be carried in that cooperating hole. When all form ties in a particular panel are assembled in this fashion with form tie extenders, the workman exits from between the panels. The second form panel then is moved into forming position on the permanent support spacedly adjacent the first panel so that the form tie extenders and the end portions of interconnected form ties pass through the cooperating form tie holes defined in the second form panel. The extenders then are removed from the interconnected form ties and the form ties fastened on the outer surface of the second form panel in traditional fashion to complete the form structure as heretofore known for forming the desired concrete structure.
In providing such a concrete forming system, it is:
A principal object to create an elongate form tie extender that may be releasably interconnected with the end portion of a form tie to create a combined assemblage of sufficient length to allow a space between adjacent form panels during the form assemblage process that is of sufficient size to allow passage and effective motion of a worker therein when the outer end portions of the interconnected form ties extenders are carried in cooperating form tie holes defined in adjacent form panels.
A further object is to provide such a form tie extender that has connecting structure to allow releasable interconnection with various form ties of the present day concrete forming arts, but yet is of such size as to pass through traditionally sized holes for the form ties defined in commercially available form panels.
A further object is to provide a form assembly process for use with such form tie extenders wherein a first form panel is established in forming position on a permanent support; form ties are inserted through holes pre-defined in the first panel and fastened on the outer side of the panel; a second form panel is established in temporary position spacedly adjacent the first form panel at a distance to allow a worker to pass and effectively move between the form panels; form tie extenders are established in cooperating holes defined in the second form panel and releasably interconnected with form ties projecting through the first panel and into the space between both panels; the second form panel is moved to forming position spacedly adjacent the first form panel while the interconnecting pairs of form ties and form tie extenders remain in the holes initially carrying them; removing the form tie extenders from the associated form ties outside the second form panel and fastening the form ties on the outer side of the second form panel.
A still further object is to provide a form tie extender and method for its use that are of new and novel design, of rugged and durable nature, of simple and economic practice and well adapted to the uses and purposes for which they are intended.
Other and further objects of our invention will appear from the following specification and accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. In carrying out the objects of the invention, however, it is to be remembered that its accidental features are susceptible of change in design and arrangement with only the best known mode of preferred and practical embodiments being illustrated and specified as is required.